1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hand operated fertilizing tool and in particular, to a device for displacing soil and replacing it with a fertilizing substance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is common practice to supplement soil with plant food or fertilizer to stimulate the growth of plants. In the past different methods for completing this task have either been inefficient or excessively complicated.
Without the use of a tool, the fertilizer can be distributed on the surface of the soil around the base of the plant. This is inefficient because the fertilizer can easily be washed away by rain or blown away by the wind. This method also exposes a possibly hazardous substance to children and pets. This method can also damage lawns by chemically burning the roots.
Another method of fertilizing is to use a tool to apply the fertilizer into the soil. Several examples of these tools are described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,140 to Laffler illustrates a fertilizing cartridge which is filled with fertilizer and then driven into the soil and left to decompose in the soil. The problem with this tool is the tool can only be used once. This can lead to higher costs if a large number of plants are to be fed regularly. Another possible problem is the decomposing cartridge may be harmful to the ecology.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,345,774 to Delbuguet describes another fertilizing device which is designed to be filled with fertilizer and driven into the soil at the base of a plant. The device remains in the soil and releases the fertilizer at an adjustable rate. The disadvantage to this tool is that it can only be used to feed one plant over a limited area and more than one tool is required to feed a number of plants simultaneously.
One advantage with the present invention is that it can be used to feed a greater number of plants over a shorter period of time.
Several tools have been patented which are designed to remove a plug of soil form the ground. The hole left in the ground can then be filled with fertilizer or left open to aerate the plant's roots. Two of these are cited in U.S. Pat. No. 3,210,112 to GLynn and U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,735 to Pucket. One of the disadvantages of this type of tool is that a device must be incorporated in the tool to eject the plug of soil from the tool. This ejection device is susceptible to jamming and to corrosion form dirt and moisture contamination. The increased number of parts required also leads to a higher tool cost to the consumer.
The present invention is comprised of two main assemblies and has no ejection assembly. It is not easily susceptible to damage from dirt and moisture contamination. The cited inventions do not fulfill the intended purposes of the present invention. The object of the present invention is to provide a tool which can be used to introduce various types of fertilizer into the soil surrounding plants. Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool which does not remain in the soil, thus allowing it to be used on a greater number of plants. Another object is to provide a tool that contains a fewer number of parts to minimize costs. Still another object is to provide a tool that will operate in a greater variety of soil types, such as rocky, sandy, clayey or gravely.